Log-sizing mechanism



Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,502

'r. A. PETERSON LOG SIZING MECHANISM Filed June?. 192s 2 sheets-sheet il? INVENTIOR.

zoflzasAltc/sz 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9. v11.925

T. A. PETERSON LOG SIZING MECHANISM Dec. 25, 1928.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT orifice.

THOMAS A.. PETERSON, OF ONAL'ASKA., WASHINGTON.

LOG-SIZNG MECHAN ISM.

Application filed June 9,

This invention relates to improvements in that class of lumber-millmachines which are employed for surfacing the upper and lower sides oftimber or saw Ilogs preparatory to cutting the same into mercantilelumber.

The object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide verticallyadjustable work supporting and feed devices which are adapted to bequickly and accu "ateiy regulated for sizing logs or the like toselected thicknesses.

y The invention consists in the novel construction, adaptation andcombination of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed. Y

In the accompanying drawings,-k

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in verticallongitudinal section of an embodiment of my invention applied to aplaner, the section being taken en broken line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 isa plan view of the same, a part of the table and feed mechanism beingbroken away and the planer shown in section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a longitudinal section of the table-operating cylinder shown in thepreceding views, the section of the valve being taken substantially onbroken line 3 3 of diagram o of Fig. 1. Fig. 4t are sectional viewstaken substantially on broken lines 4 4 of Fig. 3 to illustrate thecylinder valve in different positions. Fig. 5 is an end view of a sizedsaw log, to illustrate the purpose of the invention.

Referring to said drawings, the planer A, to which the invention isapplied, may be of any usual or suitable construction and includes upperand lower rotary cutter heads 5 and 6, respectively.

rlfhese cutter heads may be driven by power belts or by individualmotors, such as 7 as shown, by way of example, with respect to the lowercutter head 6.

The lower cutter head is desirably journaled in stationary bearing boxes8 provided in the side members 9 of the planer frame.

The bearing boxes for the upper cutter head are formed or provided inblocks, such as 10, Fig. 1, which are arranged for vertical adjustmentin ways 11 provided in the respective frame members 9.

12 represents vertical screw-shafts taking in threads provided in nutelements, as 101, of the respective blocks; said screws being actuated,to raise and lower the cutter head 5, through the medium of bevel gears13 1926. Serial No. 114,615.

from an operating shaft 111 which is manually rotated by means of acrank wheel 15.

A bridge member 91 is advantageously provided in the frame forsupporting the work below the upper cutter head Mounted. in bearingsprovided in the rear end of the planer framek a live-roller 16 which isrotated asvby means of a power driven chain 17 passing about a sprocketwheel 18 secured to an end of theL roller arbor.

19 and 20 represent presser rollers connected for vertical adjustmentsto thefront and rear ends of the planer frame. As shown, said presserrollers are regulated by having the carriers 21 thereof connected to thelower ends of piston rods 22, whose pisy tons (not shown) operate withincylinders 23 by means of compressed air, or other suitable power agent,under the control of valves provided in the chests 24. The referred to.valves are of known or suitable type, the valve stems 25 `beingoperatively connected to arms 26l extending from controlling rods 2Gwhich are regulated by 'means of levers 27 positioned at either side ofthe frame.

Associated with and extending to or into the fronty end of the planer isa rigid frame B, hereinafter designated as the table.

As shown, said table is constructed with a longitudinal girder element28 at each of its sides, and are rigidly held in spaced apart parallelrelation with each other by suitable framing including beanie,l as 29,and diagena-l braces, as 30. Rigidly secured upon said girders andframing are tranverse bars 31 upon which is imposed a floor 32.

Located at the opposite ends of said table are bearing boxes 33 Lforshafts 34 and 35 upon which are respectively mounted sprocket wheels 36and 37 for endless feed chains, each feed chain having a lead 38 passinglengthwise within channels provided therefor in the table door 32. Saidchains are provided with links `having' log engaging elements 39 and aredriven as by means of an endless chain 40 passing about a sprocket wheel11 provided upon a power shaft 42 and a sprocket wheel 43 which ismounted upon the shaft 35 of the sprocket wheels 37. The feed chains andthe sprocket wheels therefor constitute feed mechanism which is mountedupon the table to be movable as a vunit therewith. y

Said table is adapted for vertical adjustment, for which I employ,preferably, wing attachments 44 which are rigid with the table andarranged to bear upon the peripheries of rollers 45, one for each rail;the roller axles 46 being journaled in stationary chairs 47. The wings44 have their un ler surfaces disposed in planes inclined in the samedirection longitudinally of the table and to a similar angle withrespect to a horizontal plane, whereby a movement imparted to the tablein one longitudinal direction will cause the table to be elevated and amovement of the table in the opposite direction will permit gravitationto .lower the table. For producing such movement of the table in eitherlongitudinal direction, selectively, employ a power cylinder 48,preferably of the oscillatory type having its t-runnions mounted in astationary rigid frame 49.

Operating within the cylinder 4S is a piston 5l` whose rod 5l1 isconnected as at- 52 to the table structure.

A suitable fluid power agent such as compressed air, for example, isdelivered through one of the cylinder trunnions from a supply pipe 53extending from a source orlreservoir of the power agent. The power agentis controlled by means of a suitable valve provided in a chest 58therefor having passages 59 and 60 leading to the respective ends of thecylinder. As shown, the valve 6l is of the rotary type having a chamber62 which affords communication between the air inlet provided within thevalve stem 63 and the ports of either or both of the passages 59 or 60according to the setting of the valve. The valve is also provided withdischarge ports 64 which, upon occasion, are adapted to be brought intoregister with the ports G5 of the chest cover for the exhaust of airfrom one side or the other of the piston intov the external atmosphere.

In the diagrams a, Z), and c, of Fig. 4, I represent the valve in threeoperative positions; in a the valve is set to admit the power agent tothe ports of both the passages 59 and G0, the power agent acting againstboth sides of the piston to retain the same and the table which isconnected thereto in stationary position; in diagram o, the valve is setto admit the power agent into passage 59 at one side of the piston and adischarge port G4 arranged for the exhausting of air from the other sideof the piston, thereby causing the piston to move in the directionindicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, resulting in a. corresponding movementof thetable to effect the elevating of the same; and in diagram c, theyvalve is set for admitting and exhausting air from the sides' of thepiston reverse to those obtaining in the diagram Z), resulting in thetable being moved for lowering the same.

The valve operating mechanism shown in Fig. 2 comprises an arm 551secured-to the valve stem G3, said arm being connected by means of areach rod 55 and a crank shaft 56 with an operating lever 57 locatedwithin convenient reach of the operator.

A log indicated by dotted lines L in Fig. l, is raised or lowered asdesired by regulating` the valve Gl by means of the lever 57; the poweragent being controlled to thrust the table toward the blaner or awayfrom it according to whether the table is to be raised or lowered forthe purpose of having more or less of the underside of the log removedby the knives of the lower cutterhead (l. The cut of the uppercutterhead is regulated by adjusting the height of this head by means ofthe manually operated screws w ln Fig. 5 l illustrate, by way of anexample, a log L surfaced, as at X and Y by means of the upper and lowercutter heads 5 and 6. A log thus treated may be fed directly to a sawingmachine-either single or gang-for edging the work or for edging anddividing the same, as on line S, for

instance, in Fig. 5, to produ-ce mercantile lumber and slabs.

The advantages of the invention will be apparent to those familiar withthe manufacturing of lumber. l-Vhile l have particularly described andillustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, I do not wish toconfine myself specically thereto except as limited by the scope of thefollowing claims.

lWhat I claim, is,-

l, The combination with a planer having a cutter-head, of a verticallymovable work supporting table, means rendered operative by horizontalmovement of the table to effect vertical movement of the table, poweractuated means to impart horizontal movement to the work supportingtable for effecting vertical movement of vsaid table with respect to thecutting circle of said cutter-head, and manually controlled devices forregulating said power actuated means.

2. The combination with a planer having a cutter-head, of a worksupporting table arranged for vertical movement, feed mechanism,including sprocket chains passing about wheels mounted in bearingsprovided upon said table, power actuated means for effecting horizontalmovements of said table, means rendered operative by the movement of thetable in opposite horizontal directions selectively to effect verticalmovement of the same with respect to said cutter-head, and manuallycontrolled devices for regulating the action of said power actuatedmeansffor raising and'lowering said table.

3. ln combination, a'table arranged for vertical and horizontalmovements, feed mechanism carried by said table, power means forimparting movement to the table and said feed mechanism as a unittherewith port the table, and means for imparting longitudinal movementto the table and to said 'feed mechanism and cooperatingwith theinclined-plane devices and the rollers for effecting changes in theelevation of the f table and said feed mechanism.

5. The combination with a table and power driven feed mechanism carriedthereby, said table and feed mechanism being arranged for horizontal andvertical movements, of means associated with said table and renderedoperable by the horizontal movement t-hereoi to effect the elevation ofthe same, and endtvise movement of said lfeed mechanism, and manuallyControlled devices for imparting horizontal movement tothe first namedmeans.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 4th da)v of lvlay, 1926.

THOMAS A. PETERSON.

